Chereads / Life of a Soldier: A Vietnam War Story / Chapter 19 - Chapter 19, Lost and Damned

Chapter 19 - Chapter 19, Lost and Damned

I only saw red that's all I saw, guns cracked as Artillery blasted their shells. Lots of screaming the screaming was everywhere.

I felt my hands bleeding just from gripping my revolver and shovel tightly. I remember being on top of a NVA as I cracked him with the shovel til he went silent.

Firing off a round into a NVA's leg causing him to fall over in pain as he screamed. To my left Kyle was dragging a wounded Marine back with Scully covering him with his shotgun.

"Tony lets go!" Gillan shouted at me which I followed him, we got into tunnel which lead us underground while another group ran past us to reinforce the line.

Kyle put a wounded Marine with another group while we rejoined us, we went outside where a forest was burning with more NVA running as U.S. Army and Marines fighting them.

"Command we need air support!...Area 679, 9089!" Marshall said in the radio then over us as a F-100 Super Sabre screamed over the air once it reached low enough a wave of fire washed over groups of NVA.

"Napalm real nasty weapon" Gillan says as he lead us down the path. I never seen Napalm before and I could just see the bodies sizzling with the flesh slipping off.

Truly a disgusting sight.

We ran down firing at the NVA, The whole Camp was going to hell and we're being told to pull out. The Journalist that came to the camp was hiding with us.

Bucky tossed a hand grenade while Marshall threw Willy Pete. Gillan order us to the run down so we did.

Tanks from the NVA came rolling in firing at the base, Troops were using Bazookas, Grenades and other explosives. We ran down into a trench while Troops were either running to fight or escape.

Out of nowhere a NVA jumped Bucky as he struggled with him I was about to run in but Bucky headbutted the man and bashed his head with the butt of his rifle.

"You good?" Marshall asked which Bucky nodded. Kyle grabbed an AK 47 from a already dead combatant and fired at the NVA killing two to five.

We came closer to a helicopter which was about to take off, Gillan shouted at the pilot to hold as he and our unit go aboard.

The problem was there was only room for one more so I shoved the journalist onto the Chopper which Paul shouted.

"Tony what the fuck?!" He said, "Just go! I'll find another one!" Before anyone in my unit could object the chopper took off leaving me behind.

Now I needed to find a new way out, I grabbed a M16 and ran into a ditch with other soldiers as we fired at the NVA.

One of the Marines holding a M2 Flamethrower I watched him jump up and spray out flames at the NVA.

They screamed and danced while they were engulfed by the flames. Some were trying to pat themselves out and others dropped I bite my lip it's a scene only in nightmares.

I fired off a few rounds into a NVA soldier before we had to run through another tunnel. I stopped to place C4 onto the caverns I ran out and watched as groups of Marines, Army and wounded ran out then I was told to blow it.

The explosion went collapsing the tunnel but we didn't stop we kept running through the jungle til I got lost with a few soldiers.

We were still armed but we were low on ammo, the enemy was still hunting us down so I had to take charge.

"What's the closes base?" I asked, "Broken Arrow about 7 clicks from here east" One of the troops told me.

"Alright lets go!" I said as we moved east. We kept running til we couldn't hear anymore gunfire or explosions.

While we ran one of the troops fell into a pit I looked as the poor soul landed on some sharpen bamboo. I grimaced while we kept moving after I reach down and snagged his dog tags.

"We're gonna die we're gonna die!" One Marine panicked til I gripped him "Calm down we're not going to die okay?"

"Yes Si-" His head popped as his blood hit me in the face behind him was a Sniper most likely VC, we hide as I gritted my teeth.

I order them to keep down while I quietly flank the sniper. I noticed a small ladder into a hut which I climbed up.

Indeed it was an VC sniper firing at us I grabbed the VC and begin to throttle the neck til Charlie quit moving. Taking the rifle and any ammo as my own.

A Dragunov semi automatic rifle not bad for VC weapon made by the Soviet Union. I ran back to the follow troops as we had to keep running.

We came across a small patrol of VC which using what little ammo we had left to take them out and took their guns and ammo. During this we ran into a abandoned village using is for cover against Charlie.

It was done to me and four soldiers as we fight the VC, I fired the Dragunov rifle which was alright weapon allowing me to tag a few VC.

My sniping skills wasn't on level as Bucky's but I wasn't terrible considering I need to live. Outside of the four troops using a AK was sadly gun down then another one was shot in the head.

I order us to ran back as we retreat another one was shot in the back I ran to get him but he was already dead so I snagged his tags.

It was only me and a young Private, he was scared out of his mind. I reloaded the rifle as we need to keep moving.

I took out a map and compass I wasn't even sure if I was close to Broken Arrow. "Come on kid lets go" I said as I lead the private through the jungle.

Before I even knew it he tripped a wire as some kind of switch or something slammed into him. I looked in disbelief as he was bleeding heavily and tears in his eyes.

I ran yanked the trap off of him as he slump and I held him. He begin crying on how he doesn't want to die, I held his hand tightly assuring him he wasn't going to die.

He begin to feel limp and his eyes closed I just stood there holding his body. I let out a scream of agony and sorrow.

I was alone in Nam, I have to reach Broken Arrow and find my unit but for now I was alone in Hell and I'm going to fight my way through it.